Answers before you pay.
Grouped by what people actually ask: legality, ID, price with tax, timing and acceptance. Still unsure? Ask us or upload your document.
Illustrative sceneThe questions that decide it
Yes, for eligible documents. Ontario Regulation 431/20 allows a commissioner to administer an oath or take a declaration by real-time two-way video when identity, jurat, precaution and record-keeping conditions are met. We call it remote commissioning — not 'online notarization' — because certified copies and sealed notarial acts still happen in person.
Affidavits, statutory declarations, oaths and affirmations: yes. Certified true copies, physical notarial seals, authentication for use abroad and most Will/POA signings: in person (or lawyer-supervised remote witnessing where the rules allow).
A valid, original government-issued photo ID — a passport, driver's licence, provincial photo card or PR card. Show the original on camera, not a photo of it.
Every service shows a from-price, and you see the exact itemized total — base fee, any add-ons and HST — before you pay. No hidden fees.
Acceptance is always the receiving institution's decision. We show known requirements before you book and ask you to confirm acceptance for courts, lenders and government offices. We never guarantee acceptance.
Online sessions run extended hours. Mobile and after-hours in-person appointments are offered where a professional is available; the fee is shown before you choose a time.
A commissioner takes oaths and declarations (affidavits, statutory declarations). A notary can also certify copies and apply a seal for documents used outside Canada. Not sure? Upload your document and we'll tell you which applies.
General
A notary public can administer oaths and certify documents; a Commissioner for Taking Affidavits can take affidavits and statutory declarations. Both are authorized under Ontario law.
Commissioning is taking your oath or affirmation on a document such as an affidavit. Notarizing typically involves certifying signatures or copies, often with a seal. Which one you need depends on what the receiving institution requires.
No. Everything here is general information only and does not create a solicitor-client relationship. For advice about your situation, speak with a licensed Ontario lawyer.
Online notarization
Ontario permits certain documents to be commissioned and witnessed using audio-visual technology, subject to specific requirements. Whether it applies to your document depends on the circumstances and the receiving party.
Many affidavits, statutory declarations and letters can be commissioned remotely. Some documents and institutions still require a wet-ink signature or an in-person appointment — we will tell you before you book.
For documents where remote commissioning is permitted, it has the same effect as an in-person appointment. If a specific authority requires physical execution, choose in-person notarization instead.
Appointments & identification
Government-issued photo identification, the unsigned document you need notarized, and — for online sessions — a device with a working camera and internet connection.
A current government-issued photo ID such as a driver's licence or passport. The name on your ID should match the name on your document. Requirements are confirmed before your session.
Most straightforward commissioning sessions take about ten minutes once your identity is verified. More complex documents, such as Wills, may take longer.
No. In most cases you must sign in front of the commissioner. Bring the document completed but unsigned unless you are told otherwise.
Pricing & documents
Each service lists a starting fee, and the Pricing page shows every fee with HST. The full total, including any add-ons and 13% Ontario HST, is shown before you pay.
Some services include one seal, with additional seals or exhibits charged at a flat per-item rate shown at checkout. There are no hidden surcharges.
PDF and DOCX are supported, along with clear scans or photos of paper documents. You can also bring originals to an in-person appointment.
Yes, through our Will & POA signing service. A licensed Ontario lawyer supervises the signing and the witnessing.
Security, records & delivery
Completed documents are available to download as completed PDFs from your secure vault once signing is complete. Wet-ink originals are provided at in-person appointments.
Sessions run over TLS-encrypted video, and documents are encrypted at rest on PIPEDA-aligned infrastructure hosted in Canada. Access is limited to you and your assigned commissioner, and every access is logged.
Each completed document carries a reference number. Anyone can check its status on the Verify document page using that reference.
Records are retained in line with applicable Ontario requirements and our retention policy, which sets out the period for each record type. The Retention page lists them.
How documents are counted
No. Fees are based on the number of seals and signatures required, not the number of pages. A multi-page document that needs one certificate is charged as one — the professional completes the jurat or certificate on the first page and initials or stamps the rest.
Usually one certification on the main page with your photo and details, with additional pages endorsed as part of the same certified copy. If a receiving institution insists on a separate seal on every page, extra per-seal fees may apply.
Two. Fees follow the number of seals and signatures required, regardless of how many pages they appear on.
For certified true copies, a representative may bring the originals along with their own photo ID. Anything sworn or witnessed — affidavits, statutory declarations, signature witnessing — requires you to attend yourself, in person or by video, with valid photo ID.
What to expect at your appointment
We confirm your identity against your photo ID, check that the document is complete, administer the oath or affirmation for sworn documents, watch you sign, then apply the signature, seal and jurat. You receive a receipt for your records.
The completed but unsigned document, any exhibits it refers to, and valid government photo ID matching the name on the document. For online sessions, a device with a camera and a quiet, private space.
Yes — a record of the commissioning is retained in line with Law Society requirements, and for online sessions the audio-visual session is recorded and stored as part of the file. The Retention page sets out how long each record type is kept.
Ready when you are.
See eligibility and price before you pay — no account needed.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Acceptance of any document is always the receiving organization's decision. Prices shown exclude applicable tax unless stated.